“Next, I became completely consumed with an energy sensation that cannot be described by any spectrum of human experience or imagination. The force was so strong that for a moment in time I felt like I would not be able to endure it. The sensation was so overwhelming and without comparison, my mind did not know what was happening. I told myself to relax and then boom, I popped through it. I’ve now read many accounts of others like mine. The best way it’s been described is to imagine your body strapped to a rocket and then launched from one dimension into another. There’s no way to convey the sensation to someone who hasn’t experienced it, but that’s a good start.”

While a Soldier’s body armor can withstand bomb shrapnel, that armor cannot protect them from an invisible but devastating threat of a blast wave…Researchers now have a clearer understanding of how the blast force from battlefield explosions injures the human brain, solving a mystery that has haunted soldiers and veterans for more than a century.

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- When Andrew Marr left his home of Argyle, Texas, to compete at the 2016 Department of Defense Warrior Games, winning his respective events of discus and shotput was not the first thing on his mind…"Winning is a byproduct," said Marr, a medically retired Special Forces combat engineer. "I always try to contribute and perform to the best of my abilities and by doing that, my hope is that it will inspire and encourage others to know that they can do the same."

The insidious damage caused by traumatic brain injury has emerged from the shadows and is receiving the medical focus it requires…Much of this change has occurred due to two of the main victims of traumatic brain injury—soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and impact sports that include football and boxing…Of course, civilians also incur traumatic brain injury from automobile accidents, falls, and assaults. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 3 to 5 million Americans are living with traumatic brain injury-related disability.1

Could you be walking around with a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, and not even know it? Could it be causing depression, or changes in your personality that you can’t explain? Dr. Mark Gordon, interventional endocrinology specialist and Medical Director at the Millennium Warrior Angels Foundation TBI Project, says inflammation is the culprit exacerbating these debilitating symptoms. Especially for U.S. service members and veterans who have sustained a TBI while in the line of duty. Andrew Marr, a Special Forces Green Beret who sustained a head trauma in combat, understands first-hand how damaging TBI symptoms can be. But Mark’s hormone-based treatment protocol profoundly changed Andrew’s life, prompting him to start the Warrior Angels Foundation, which provides personalized care to treat the underlying condition for those who have sustained TBIs. In this fascinating discussion with Dave, Mark and Andrew share intimate stories about their experiences with brain injuries, and how they teamed up to make a difference. Plus, Mark shares his candid viewpoint on PTSD, you’ll learn what to do if you get hit in the head, and most importantly, you’ll get some valuable tips on how to manage inflammation in the brain.

Many of the symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and TraumaticBrain Injury overlap. I believe the original developers of the diagnosis of PTSD were not well informed about TBI, and that many patients diagnosed with PTSD may, in fact, be exhibiting symptoms of traumatic brain injury. Many of the symptoms of PTSD are neurobehavioral or neurocognitive.